A handful of nuts a day really does keep the heart doctor away - as ‘tree nuts’ help prevent heart disease, obesity and diabetes, a recent study has discovered.

Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts are among the ‘tree nut’ family that contain high levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and low levels of C-reactive proteins (the main cause of inflammation in the body and heart).

Another additional health bonus of snacking on nuts is they can maintain a trim waistline too, as researchers discovered that regular ‘tree nut’ consumption led to lower risk of abdominal obesity.

Researchers also discovered that nut eaters have a 5% lower chance of developing metabolic syndrome (a clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and chosterol).

They also benefit from the nut's vitamin-packed health boosts, such as omega-3 fatty acids, inflammation-fighting vitamin E and a plentiful of antioxidants.

Health benefits aside, nuts are most notorious for their high calorie-count. Take a look at how many calories your favourite nut contains, according to the WeightLossResource (based on 100g and unsalted):